Blue Mountains City Council has welcomed victory in the campaign to stop the proposal to fill Bell Quarry with waste material.
In 2020, the Western Joint Regional Planning Panel had supported the recommendation of Lithgow Council’s Development Manager in refusing the development application for the proposal, but a year later the applicant appealed to the Land & Environment Court. That appeal has now been rejected.
“This is an outstanding result for the environment and for the people of the Blue Mountains and Lithgow,” Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill said. “I congratulate the community and the Blue Mountains City Council team for their submissions and activism.
“This whole process has been one that is entirely consistent with our values of protecting the environment and supporting the quality of life of Blue Mountains residents.”
Councillor Greenhill gave his full support to Lithgow Council and Lithgow Mayor Maree Statham in the campaign to stop the filling of the Bell Quarry with waste, trucked in from Sydney, along the Bells Line of Road.
If successful, the proposal would have had unacceptable adverse impacts on the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, with threats to endangered species and water sources, including the pristine Wollangambe River.
The plan would have also resulted in significant detrimental impacts on traffic through the Blue Mountains and in the local area.
There had been strong local opposition to the proposal from both Lithgow and Blue Mountains residents.
